Piano action with sostenuto mechanism

ABSTRACT

In a piano action, a damper lever, pivoted intermediate thereof and with its damper biased toward the string, has a tab portion extending in the side opposite to the damper side. A sostenuto block, rotatably supported beside the tab portion, has a lip portion rotatable against a biasing force and resting on a stop. The rotation of the block causes the lip portion to come near and away from the tab portion. When the block is rotated while the damper is brought away from the string upon depression of the key, the lip portion catches the tab portion and prevents the damper from coming into contact with the string even after release of the depressed key so long as the block is in a rotated position, thus permitting the string struck by the hammer to continue its vibration so that a sustaining tone is obtained. A plurality of such sustenuto blocks for a plurality of damper levers are fixed to a transversely extending rockable rail, so that the rail rotates all of the blocks at one time. When the damper levers other than the one which the lip portion has caught are to be rotated while all of the blocks are in rotated position, the damper levers to be rotated are permitted their rotation by their tab portions pushing and rotating the corresponding lip portions against the biasing force imparted thereto.

United States Patent 1 Yui [ July 24, 1973 PIANO ACTION WITH SOSTENUTOMECHANISM [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha, Shizuoka-ken, Japan[22] Filed: Apr. 14, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 244,045

Akira Yui, Hamamatsu, Japan [30] Foreign Application Priority DataPrimary Examiner-Richard B..Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R.Franklin Attorney-Robert D. Flynn, Leonard Holtz et a1.

57 ABSTRACT In a piano action, a damper lever, pivoted intermediatethereof and with its damper biased toward the string, has a tab portionextending in the side opposite to the damper side. A sostenuto block,rotatably supported beside the tab portion, has a lip portion rotatableagainst a biasingforce and resting on a stop. The rotation of the blockcauses the lip portion to come near and away from the tab portion. Whenthe block is rotated while the damper is brought away from the stringupon depression of the key, the lip portion catches the tab portion andprevents the damper from coming into contact with the string even afterrelease of the depressed key so long as the block is in a rotatedposition, thus permitting the string struck by the hammer to continueits vibration so that a sustaining tone is obtained.

A plurality of such sustenuto blocks for a plurality of damper leversare fixed to a transversely extending rockable rail, so that the railrotates all of the blocks at one time. When the damper levers other thanthe one which the lip portion has caught are to be rotated while all ofthe blocks are in rotated position, the damper levers to be rotated arepermitted their rotation by their tab portions pushing and rotating thecorresponding lip portions against the biasing force imparted thereto.

18 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PIANO ACTION WITH SOSTENUTO MECHANISMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a piano action andmore particularly to the sostenuto mechanism thereof, especially adaptedfor an upright piano.

With the ordinary piano action, key depression causes the wippen and inconsequence the damper lever to rotate. Accordingly, the damper is movedaway from the string and is held up, allowing a hammer to strike thestring so as to produce a tone. Upon release of a key, the damper isreturned to hold a String with the resultant cessation of the tone.Where, therefore, it is desired, as is sometimes the case, during pianoperformance to sustain a particular tone even after release of a key,theordinary type of piano action fails to effect such operation.

Accordingly, this invention is intended to provide a piano action fittedwith a sostenuto mechanism capable of offering a sostenuto ortone-sustaining effect even after release of a key simply by operationof a pedal without the necessity of repeatedly depressing the key.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an example of the sostenutomechanism of this invention the bottom or tab portion of a damper lever,which rotates by engagement with a spoon fitted to'a free end of awippen upon rotation thereof, extends below the wippen. Where a playeroperates a sostenuto pedal after rotation of the damper lever, thenmeans for preventing the return of the damper lever (hereinafterreferred to as damper lever stopper means") is operatedto be disposedbetween the tab portion of the damper lever thus rotated and the wippenso as to stop the return of the damper lever. A plurality of such damperlever stopper means are so designed as to be operated by a common pedal.When the damper lever for a given key is thus prevented from returning,the corresponding string struck by the hammer is kept vibrating. Wherethere is operated another key under such condition, it is necessary thatthe corresponding damper lever be not affected by the action of thedamper lever stopper means commonly rotated along with the one which hasalready obstructed the return of the damper lever of the first mentionedkey. According to an embodiment of this invention, therefore, the damperlever stopper means of each key has a sostenute block to which there ispivoted a lip or projecting tip so biased by a spring as to rotatetoward the wippen. However, the biasing is restricted by a projection orstop formed on the upper surface of the soste nuto block. Where a key isnot depressed, the damper lever is so positioned as to cause the lip ortip to be brought to the outside of the tab portion of the damper lever(namely, the tab portion is disposed between the lip and wippen). Where,under such condition, the damper lever is rotated upon key depression,then the end of its tab portion engages the lip to cause it to berotated against the action of the spring. Therefore, the movement of thedamper lever is not restricted due to the rotation of the damper leverstopper means. Conversely where, after key depression, the damper leverstopper means is so rotated as to cause the lip to be brought betweenthe tab portion of the damper lever and wippen, then the tab portion ispressed against the lip portion to prevent its rotation even afterrelease of the key, so that the damper lever is prevented fromreturning.

According to another embodiment of this invention, the bottom end of thetab portion of the damper lever is fitted with a flexible tab lip whichis rotated or flexed only toward the wippen. The damper lever stoppermeans is formed into an L-shape. When operated, the stopper means hasthe end of the L-shaped portion brought between the tab lip and wippento abut against the tab lip, thereby preventing the return of the damperlever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fractional side view,partly in section, of a piano action according to an embodiment of thisinvention, where it is in a rest position;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of the piano action of FIG. 1, where it isin operation;

. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the sostenuto block of FIGS.1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a fractional side view, partly in section, of a piano actionaccording to another embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are side views of the piano FIG. 5, where it is inoperation;

FIG. 8 illustrates the manner in which the tab lip of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7is fitted to the tab section of the damper lever;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a modification of the tab lip of FIGS. 5, 6 and7;

FIG. 10 is a side view of another modification of the tab lip;

FIG. 11 is a side view of still another modification of the tab lip;

FIG. 12A is a side view of a further modification of the tab lip;

FIG. 12B is a front view of FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13A is a side view of a still further modification of the tab lip;

FIG. 13B is a front view of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 13C is a back view of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 13D is a sectional view on line 13D-l3D of FIG. 13B; and

FIG. 13B is a sectional view on line 13E-13E' of FIG. 13.

action of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS There will now bedescribed by reference to FIG. 1

the basic construction of an upright piano action. A

wippen 11 is pivoted near its end to a wippen flange 12 fixed to acenter rail 13. The underside of the opposite endof the wippen 11 iscoupled with a keyboard (not shown) through a capstan rod 14 and othermeans. That part of the upper surface of wippen 11 which faces thecapstan rod 14 is fitted with a jack flange 15. The wippen 11 isconnected through the jack flange 15 to a hammer and its drivingmechanism (not shown). The inner end of the wippen 11 is fitted with aspoon 16. To the upper end of the center rail 13 is fixed a damper leverflange 17, to which there is pivoted a damper lever 18. To the upper endof the damper lever 18 is attached a damper 20 by means of a damper wire19 so as to be pressed against a string 21. Between the damper leverflange l7 and damper lever 18 is stretched a spring 22 for pressing orbiasing the damper 20 against the string 21. To the lower end of thedamper lever 18 is fitted a damper lever tab portion 23 whose endextends below the wippen 11. The tab portion 23 is formed of a flatstrip of cold rolled steel or aluminum, the end portion of which is madepermissibly as thin as 0.5 to 1.0 mm so as to be bendable to shift theposition ofthe free end thereof relative to the laterdescribedprojection 32. To the lower end of the center rail 13 is fitted a hinge24 whose pivotal section 25 is positioned below the wippen 11. To thepivotal section 25 is attached a rockable sostenuto block rail 27through a connection member 26. The rail 27 takes an L-shape. To theinner wall of the bent portion of the rail 27 is fixed a sostenuto block28 by means of a screw 29. The rail 27 is extended transversely to theblock 28. To the intermediate section of the block 28 is pivoted a lipor tip 30 rotatable about a pin 31. The lip or tip 30 has a projection32 with a triangular cross section integrally formed on one side of theupper surface thereof. The projection 32 is coated all over with a pieceof soft cloth or felt 33. That part of the sostenuto block 28 whichfaces the projection 32 is slightly raised to act as a stopper 28A forthe lip and also coated on one side with a piece of cloth or felt 34.Between the lip 30 and block28 is stretched a spring 35 so as to biasthe lip 30 toward the stopper 28A. The biasing, however,'is restrictedby the lip stopper 28A as coated with the cloth or felt 34. Theconstruction of an assembly of the sostenuto block 28 and lip 30 will beclearly understood from its exploded view shown in FIG. 4. To theunderside of the sostenuto block rail 27 is fitted by the screw 29 aplate member 36 which is connected through a sostenuto rod 37 to asostenuto or tone sustaining pedal (not shown). The hatchings of FIG. 1represent parts common to all the keys. In the Figures, only onesostenuto block is shown, but a plurality of such sostenuto blocks are,of course, fixed to the transversely extending rockable rail 27 in sideby side relationship to each other corresponding to the number of thedamper levers.

There will now be described the operation of a piano action arranged asdescribed above. FIG. 1 shows a piano action remaining in a restposition where the keys and sostenuto pedal are not operated. Under suchcondition, the sostenuto block 28 is inclined, as shown in FIG. 1, tosuch extent that the projection or engagement portion 32 of the lip 30is positioned below the tab portion 23 of the damper lever 18 so as tosubstantially face its bottom end. Upon key depression, the capstan rod14 is lifted to rotate the wippen ,11. As a result, the spoon 16 sorotates the damper lever 18 against the action of the spring 22 as tocause the damper 20 to be removed from the string 21 as shown in FIG. 2.Where, under this condition, there is operated a sostenuto pedal, thenthe sostenuto rod 37 is lifted to rotate the sostenuto block 28 to suchextent that the block 28 is brought to a substantially horizontalposition as indicated in FIG. 2. At this time, the projection orengagement portion 32 of the lip 30 is brought between the tab portion23 of the damper lever 18 and wippen I]. Where, under thiscondition thedepressed key is released, the wippen I1 is brought back to its originalposition. Though, in this case, the damper lever 18 tends to regain itsoriginal position by the action of the'spring 22, the bottom end of thetab portion of the damper lever 18 abuts against the projection orengagement portion 32 of the lip, preventing the return of the damperlever 18, and in consequence keeping the damper 20 removed from thestring 21. The pieces of cloth or felt 33 and 34 coated over theprojection 32 of the lip-30 and on one side of the lip stopper 28Arespectively absorb shocks or prevent the occurrence of noises when thetab portion 23 of the damper lever 18 abuts against the projection orengagement portion 32 of the lip 30. i

There will now be described by reference to FIG. 3 the case where thereis depressed another key under the condition of FIG. 2 in which thesostenuto pedal is kept operated. At this time the tab portion 23 of thedamper lever 18 is located between the lip 30 and wippen 11.Accordingly, upon depression of said another key, the wippen 11 andconsequently damper lever 18 rotate. At the time of the rotation, thetab portion 23 of the damper lever 18 is pressed against the projectionor engagement portion 32 of the lip 30 to rotate the projection againstthe force of the spring 35. Therefore, the damper lever 18 for saidanother key can rotate just as in the case where the sostenuto pedal isnot operated. As previously mentioned, the tab portion 23 of the damperlever 18 is formed thin so as to be bended or deformed, which wellserves to adjust the positional relationship of the bottom end of thetab portion 23 and the projection or engagement portion 32 of the lipThere will now be described by reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 a pianoactionaccording to another embodiment of this invention. The parts of theseFigures the same as those of FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the samenumerals. To the bottom end of the tab portion 23 of the damper lever 18is fitted a tab lip or projecting tip 40 made of elastic materialsuchas, Neoprene rubber so as to be flexed only toward the wippen 11. Thesostenuto block 28 and rail 27 of FIG. I is replaced by only a sostenutorail 41 taking an L-shape and having the end 42 of the upward bendportion thereof facing the end of the tab lip 40. The end 42 of thesostenuto rail 41 is coated with a piece of cloth or felt 43.

The tab lip 40 which can only be flexed in one direction has its neartop portion alone fitted to the tab portion 23 of the damper lever 18with a rivet or adhesive 44. Experiments were made with a tab lipprepared from Neoprene rubber having a hardness of about to as specifiedby the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), a thickness of about 1.0 to2.0 mm, a length of about 16 mm and a width of about 8 mm. The tab lip40 whose entire length was designated as l, as shown in FIG. 8, wasfitted to the tab portion 23 of the damper lever 18 at a point equal toV4] as measured from the top of the tab lip 40 and caused a Al part ofits lower portion to extend downward from the bottom end of the tabportion 23. Then there were obtained good results.

There will now be described the operation of the piano action of FIGS. 5to 7. Under the condition of FIG. 6 corresponding to that of FIG. 2, theend 42 of the upward bent portion of the L-shaped sostenuto rail 41abuts against the bottom end of the tab lip 40 fitted to the tab portion23 of the damper lever 18. Though the damper lever 18 is biased by thespring 22 to return to its original position, it can not take suchposition because the tab lip 40 is inflexible in a direction permittingthe return.

Referring next to FIG. 7 corresponding to FIG. 3, the end 42of theupward bent portion of the L-shaped sostenuto rail 41 is disposedbetween the tab lip 40 and wippen '11 due to a given key beingdepressed. Where,

under this condition, there is depressed another key, then the damperlever 18 rotates to cause the tab lip 40 to be pressed against the end42 of the upward bent portion of the sostenuto rail 41. However, therotation of the damper lever is not obstructed in any way because thetab lip, 40 is flexed toward the wippen ll. Namely, where, afteroperation of a sostenuto pedal for a given key, there is depressedanother key, then the damper lever 18 of the latter key can make anormal movement.

FIGS. 9 and 10 represent modifications of the tab lip 40 for enabling itto be reliably flexed or rotated only in one direction. The modificationof the tab lip 40 shown in FIG. 9 comprises'a first member 45 made ofinflexible material, for example, wood and coated with a piece of cloth48 on one side and a second downward tapered or wedge-shaped member 46similarly made of wood which is disposed below the first member at asmall space 47 and is hingedly connected to the first member by thecloth 48. The first member 45 is fitted, for example, by a rivet 44 tothe tab section 23 of the damper lever 18 so as to cause the aforesaidspace to be positioned below the bottom end of the tab section 12. Thusthe second member 46 is rotatable in the direction shown by an arrow,but the rotation of the second member 46 in the opposite direction isrestricted by the abutment of the second member on the downward edge ofthe first member 45.

The modification of the tab lip 40 shown in FIG. 10 is prepared frominflexible material, for example, synthetic resin such aspolypropyleneor rubber-like material such as Neoprene, and consists offirst and second sections 50 and 51 formed integral with each other andsubstantially separated by a groove 52 formed on the opposite side ofthe tab lip 40 to the wippen 11. The part of the tab lip 40 which isthinned by the groove 52 acts as a hinge. The first section 50 is fixed,for example, by a rivet 44 to the tab section 23 of the damper lever 18so as to cause the aforementioned groove 52 to be disposed below thebottom end of the tab portion 23. The second section 51 is tapereddownward or takes a wedgeshape.

Another modification of the tab lip 40 shown in FIG. 11 is prepared froma flexible material such as Neoprene rubber or polypropylene andconsists of a thin upper portion 53 and a thick lower portion 54 havinga downwardly tapered tip 54A. At least one boundary between the upperand lower portions 53 and 54 constitutes a stepped portion where thereis formed a groove 55. The lower end portion of the tab portion 23 ofthe damper lever 18 is coated all over with a piece of shock-absorbingcloth 56. The upper portion 53 of the tab lip 40 is fixed to the tabportion 23 so as to cause that surface 57 of the lower portion 54 of thetab lip 40 which is disposed adjacent to the aforesaid groove 55 to facethe coated lower end portion of the tab portion 23. The shock-absorbingcloth 56 is intended to prevent the occurrence of noises when thesurface 57 of the lower end portion 54 of the tab lip 40 is pressedagainst the lower end of the tab portion 23.

The modification of the tab lip 40 illustrated in FIGS. I2A and 12B is atype where there is fitted a thin spring metal strip 58 on that flatsurface of the tab lip 40 of FIG. 11 which faces the wippen 11, moreparticularly that part of the surface which faces the aforesaid groove55, thus enabling the lower portion 54 of the tab lip 40 easily toreturn to its original position due to the increased rigidity andelasticity of the spring metal coated portion when depressed by thelower end of the tab portion 23 of the damper lever 18.

In the modification of the tab lip 40 indicated in FIG. 13A, the metalstrip 58 of FIG. 12B is replaced by at least one rib 60 integrallyformed with the tab lip 40, the rib running perpendicular to thelengthwise direction of the groove 55. There is provided another rib 61on the opposite side of the wedged part of the lower portion 54 of thetab lip 40 to the wippen l1. Provision of the another rib 61 on thewedged part of the lower portion 54 of the tab lip 40 is for thefollowing reason. Where, under the condition of FIG. 7, a depressed keyis released, then the damper lever 18 returns to its original positionto cause the damper to be pressed against a vibrating string 21. At thistime, the damper lever 18 itself is also shaken by the vibrating string21, so that the tab lip 40 repeatedly impinges on the cloth or felt 43coated over the end of the upward bent portion of the L-shaped sostenutorail 41 with the resultant occurrence of noises. If, in such case, thewedged part of the lower portion 54 of the tab lip 40 is provided with arib 61, then the area of the cloth or felt 43 contacted by the lowerportion 54 will decrease to minimize such noises.

What is claimed is:

1. A piano action comprising:

a plurality of damper levers each having a damper supported movably toand away from a string,

a first member extending from each of said damper levers and movabletherewith,

a second member movable toward and away from each of said first members,and

a selectively bendable projecting tip member fixed on one of said firstand second members, said projecting tip member being engageable with theother of said first and second members when said second member is movedtoward said first member, said projecting tip including a flexiblemember which is bendable when pushed in a first direction and beingunbendable and acting as a stop when pushed in a second directionopposite to said first direction such that when the damper is moved awayfrom the string and thereafter the second member is moved toward thefirst member, said projecting tip, acting as the stop, engages with theother of said first and second members to maintain the damper moved awayfrom the string, and, when the second member is moved toward the firstmember while the damper rests on the string, and thereafter the damperis moved away from the string, the projecting tip is flexed or bent bysaid movement of the damper away from the string, thereby allowing thedamper to move to and away from the string.

2. A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second membercomprises a common rail, and a plurality of blocks attached to saidrail, each of said blocks corresponding to each of the damper levers andcarrying a member engageable with said projecting tip.

3. A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible membercomprises a strip of flexible material with one end fixed to said one ofsaid first and second members adjacent to one side and the end of saidone of said first and second members and the other end thereof beingfree, said strip having a substantial portion overlapping said one ofsaid first and second members with said other free end thereofprojecting beyond the free end of said one of said first and secondmembers.

4. A piano action as claimed in claim 3 wherein about three-fourths ofthe length of said strip of flexible material overlaps said one of saidfirst and second members and about one-fourth of the length of saidstrip projects beyond said free end of said member.

5. A piano action as claimed in claim 4 wherein said strip is fixed tosaid one of said first and second members at about one-fourth thedistance from the end thereof opposite said projecting end.

6. A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projecting tipcomprises a first and a second section of substantially inflexiblematerial, said first section being fixed to said one of said first andsecond members, said flexible member connecting said second section tothe first section along one edge portion thereof, said first and secondsections having end edges facing each other and adapted to contact eachother for restricting the movement of said second section in said seconddirection, said flexible member being of reduced crosssection relativeto said end edges.

7. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and secondsections are hingedly connected by means of said flexible member.

8. A piano action as claimed in claim 7 wherein said flexible membercomprises a flexible sheet bridging said first and second sections.

9. A piano action as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said second section hasat least onerib on the surface which.

abuts the other of said first and second members.

10. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and secondsections have at least one rib formed integral therewith and bridgedacross said flexible member.

11. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and secondsections and said flexible member are formed in one integral body of thesame material.

12. A piano action as claimed in claim 11 wherein said flexible membercomprises at least one strip of spring metal bridging the first andsecond sections.

13. A piano action as claimed in claim 11 wherein said projecting tipfurther comprises at least one strip of spring metal bridging theflexible member and the first and second sections.

14. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein said second section isprogressively thinner toward the free end thereof.

15. A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projecting tipcomprises a first section fixed to said one of said first and secondmembers, and a second section connected to said first section by saidflexible member, said sections having end edges which face each other,and said flexible member being of reduced crosssection relative to saidend edges, the edge of said second section being adapted to abut on thefree end of said one of said first and second members for restrictingthe movement of the second section in said second direction.

16. A piano action as claimed in claim 15 wherein said projecting tipfurther comprises at least one strip of spring metal bridging the firstand second sections at the hingedly connected portion and reinforcingthe action of the hinged portion.

17. A piano action as claimed in claim 15 wherein said first and secondsections have at least one rib formed integral therewith and bridgedbetween the first and second sections at the hinged portion thereof.

18. A piano action as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second sectionhas at least one rib on the surface which abuts the other of said firstand second members.

1. A piano action comprising: a plurality of damper levers each having adamper supported movably to and away from a string, a first memberextending from each of said damper levers and movable therewith, asecond member movable toward and away from each of said first members,and a selectively bendable projecting tip member fixed on one of saidfirst and second members, said projecting tip member being engageablewith the other of said first and second members when said second memberis moved toward said first member, said projecting tip including aflexible member which is bendable when pushed in a first direction andbeing unbendable and acting as a stop when pushed in a second directionopposite to said first direction such that when the damper is moved awayfrom the string and thereafter the second member is moved toward thefirst member, said projecting tip, acting as the stop, engages with theother of said first and second members to maintain the damper moved awayfrom the string, and, when the second member is moved toward the firstmember while the damper rests on the string, and thereafter the damperis moved away from the string, the projecting tip is flexed or bent bysaid movement of the damper away from the string, thereby allowing thedamper to move to and away from the string.
 2. A piano action as claimedin claim 1 wherein said second member comprises a common rail, and aplurality of blocks attached to said rail, each of said blockscorresponding to each of the damper levers and carrying a memberengageable with said projecting tip.
 3. A piano action as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises a strip of flexiblematerial with one end fixed to said one of said first and second membersadjacent to one side and the end of said one of said first and secondmembers and the other end thereof being free, said strip having asubstantial portion overlapping said one of said first and secondmembers with said other free end thereof projecting beyond the free endof said one of said first and second members.
 4. A piano action asclaimed in claim 3 wherein about three-fourths of the length of saidstrip of flexible material overlaps said one of said first and secondmembers and about one-fourth of the length of said strip projects beyondsaid free end of said member.
 5. A piano action as claimed in claim 4wherein said strip is fixed to said one of said first and second membersat about one-fourth the distance from the end thereof opposite saidprojecting end.
 6. A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidprojecting tip comprises a first and a second section of substantiallyinflexible material, said first section being fixed to said one of saidfirst and second members, said flexible member connecting said secondsection to the first section along one edge portion thereof, said firstand second sections having end edges facing each other and adapted tocontact each other for restricting the movement of said second sectionin said second direction, said flexible member being of reducedcross-section relative to said end edges.
 7. A piano action as claimedin claim 6 wherein said first and second sections are hingedly connectedby means of said flexible member.
 8. A piano action as claimed in claim7 wherein said flexible member comprises a flexible sheet bridging saidfirst and second sections.
 9. A piano action as claimed in claim 6wherein said second section has at least one rib on the surface whichabuts the other of said first and second members.
 10. A piano action asclaimed in claim 6 wherein said first and second sections have at leastone rib fOrmed integral therewith and bridged across said flexiblemember.
 11. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first andsecond sections and said flexible member are formed in one integral bodyof the same material.
 12. A piano action as claimed in claim 11 whereinsaid flexible member comprises at least one strip of spring metalbridging the first and second sections.
 13. A piano action as claimed inclaim 11 wherein said projecting tip further comprises at least onestrip of spring metal bridging the flexible member and the first andsecond sections.
 14. A piano action as claimed in claim 6 wherein saidsecond section is progressively thinner toward the free end thereof. 15.A piano action as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projecting tipcomprises a first section fixed to said one of said first and secondmembers, and a second section connected to said first section by saidflexible member, said sections having end edges which face each other,and said flexible member being of reduced cross-section relative to saidend edges, the edge of said second section being adapted to abut on thefree end of said one of said first and second members for restrictingthe movement of the second section in said second direction.
 16. A pianoaction as claimed in claim 15 wherein said projecting tip furthercomprises at least one strip of spring metal bridging the first andsecond sections at the hingedly connected portion and reinforcing theaction of the hinged portion.
 17. A piano action as claimed in claim 15wherein said first and second sections have at least one rib formedintegral therewith and bridged between the first and second sections atthe hinged portion thereof.
 18. A piano action as claimed in claim 15wherein said second section has at least one rib on the surface whichabuts the other of said first and second members.